European Parliament Public HearingCommittee on Fisheries

12 November 2019

“Facing the new challenges of the EU

Fisheries Control system”

Ms. Alicia Villauriz Iglesias.

Secretary General for fisheries.

SPAIN

Spain as a major actor in the European fisheries industry

An evolving framework for the Fishing sector

Fisheries control and surveillance: a tool to respond to the evolving

framework

Final conclusions

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Facing the new challenges of the EU Fisheries Control system

European Parliament Public Hearing. Committee on Fisheries 12th November 2019

SPAIN: a major actor in the European fisheries industry

• 1st EU Member state in landings and catches

Spain accounts for 19% of EU landings and 17% of EU catches

• Spanish fleet: 8.972 vessels represent 11% of total EU fleet

• The Spanish fishing sector creates >20.000 direct jobs in coastal areas+ 16.151 jobs in aquaculture and 20.140 in the canning & processing industry+ (estimate) 100.000 indirect jobs in the value chain from ports up to consumers

• Contribution of the fish-food value chain to GDP (estimate): 8.965 million euros thus, a very relevant sector within the BLUE ECONOMY

• Portugal & Spain show top fish-consumption rates in the EU (x2 EU average). Strong consumer demand goes with growing concern on healthy diets and

sustainable fishing

• Spain is top importer and exporter in extra-EU trade, and one of the most relevant MS regarding intra-EU flows

• Main countries of origin: China, Morocco, Ecuador, Argentina, Portugal…• Main countries of destination: Italy, Portugal, France, Ecuador, Morocco…

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Spain plays a major role in international trade of fish & fish products

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Source: EUMOFA, 2018

Top species caught (tonnes of live weight)

Average 2014-2016

% Spain/UE

Skipjack tuna 124.514 74,7%

Yellowfin tuna 105.600 66,7%

Argentine hake 50.484 99,7%

European anchovy 46.332 39,8%

Blue shark 51.495 83,3%

European hake 36.716 31,1%

Atlantic chub mackerel 38.550 36,0%

Sardine 36.945 15,8%

Atlantic horse mackerel 22.175 12,3%

Atlantic mackerel 33.088 6,1%

Blue whiting 24.512 11,3%

Atlantic cod 18.462 13,0%

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Spanish fisheries are highly diversified in species… And highly diversified in fishing areas:

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Atlantic, Northwest Atlantic, Northeast

Atlantic, Eastern Central Mediterranean and Black Sea

Atlantic, Southwest Atlantic, Southeast

Indian Ocean, Western

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SPAIN

Source: EUROSTAT

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• Leadership in fighting Ilegal Unreported and Undocumented Fisheries:

The aforementioned importance of Fisheries in Spainhas been, for decades, translated into a strongFisheries Control and Surveillance System at alllevels:

• Vessels Monitoring Center:

• 2000 vessels 15m lenght. Worldwide distribution.

• 5 different equipments with global coverage.

• Data Exchange with 25 countries and RFMOs. (Irlanda,

Francia, Portugal, Noruega, Seychelles, Madagascar,

Cabo Verde, Marruecos, Mauritania…)

• 24/7 activity.

• New specific very serious infringements for IUU fishing

• Strengthening market control and inspection measures for IUU fishing

• New Measures to dissuade efficiently Spanish nationals of performing IUU fishing

activities

• Strengthening enforcement system

Successful stories: Sparrow operations, cooperation with RFMOs, Latin American and Caribbean IUU fishing Network…

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An evolving framework for the fishing sector (I)

A- GLOBAL CONTEXT

Globalization: Increasing worldwide presence of third countries fleets with a lesser focus on sustainability compared to EU standards.

International Ocean Governance:

• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

• Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs)

• The Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA). FAO

• Future agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine

biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. (BBNJ)

• The United Nations Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling

Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.

• Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development

• Blue Economy

• ……

Need for a coherent international legal framework

Fisheries must remain as a main player of theOceans governance

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An evolving framework for the fishing sector (II)

B- EUROPEAN UNION CONTEXT:

Common Fisheries Policy consistently focused on Sustainable Development:

Need of reliable data availability for scientific evaluation.

New data sources: i) Landing Obligation ii) Recreational Fisheries.

Avoiding overexploitation of resources MSY

Increasing preoccupation for Ocean pollution: plastics, microplastics

1- Environmental Sustainability

2- Economic Sustainability

Avoiding unfair competition within the EU and with 3rd countries

Ensuring compliance along all steps of the commercial chain

3- Social Sustainability

Standardization of labor and security conditions.

i.e. IMO Conference on Fishing Vessel Safety and IUU Fishing in Torremolinos, Spain, 21-23 October 2019

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FISHERIES CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE:

A TOOL TO RESPOND TO THE EVOLVING FRAMEWORK

NEW INSTRUMENTS:

Better use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Reinforced role of the European Fisheries Control Agency

Coherence and coordination between Community policies:

• Regime of sanctions

• Import arrangements

Harmonization implies

Efficiency

Level the playing field

Strengthening the monitoring, control and surveillance of recreational fisheries

NEW TARGETS:

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FISHERIES CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE:

A TOOL TO RESPONSE TO THE EVOLVING FRAMEWORK (II)

Challenges:

1- Changes must be feasible and consistent with the reality of the fishing sector.

2- Need for raising the global ambition in fighting IUU

Fisheries sector have to be present in all debates along all the process

Neither Spain nor the EU can handle fighting IUU alone Need for international cooperation

3- Synergies with other EU Policies and instruments i.e. EEFM 2021-2027

4- Balance between simplification and feasibility Observing specifics of artisanal fleet

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Final conclusions

Spain welcomes all efforts to make Fisheries Control more efficient and tailored to the new era.

Any change need a proper transition period to ensure a easy assimilation for the fishing sector and national and regional administrations.

We need to avoid creating unnecessary administrative burdens

In a nutshell:

Fishing must receive the attention it deserves in all the discussions on oceans and should be regarded as a relevant socio-economic activity

We need the European fishing sector to be increasingly sustainable and competitive, creating more wealth and employment, and with a future of growth and stability

New control regulation needs to allow meeting those objectives.